Families across Ireland have been voicing their concern over being able to afford the basics such as food, electricity, and heating as Budget 2023 fast approaches.
A number of promises have been made to the public about the government’s intentions to help with the rise in the cost of living, but it seems many minds have not been put at ease.
Recent figures showed that electricity bills could reach as high as €6,000 and now, a survey carried out by taxback.com shows the true levels of concern among families.
Its results show the cost-of-living crisis is now the biggest concern for people ahead of the upcoming Budget – with the issue of housing coming in at a close second.
More than 1,500 adults nationwide took part in the first installment of the taxback.com Taxpayer Pre-Budget 2023 Survey, which found that:
- 35% of people believe inflation should be the biggest priority for the Government in the upcoming Budget; and
- 32% cited housing as the biggest issue facing the Government in Budget 2023
Other highlights from the survey included:
- 29% calling for more electricity credits as the public continues to struggle with runaway living costs and energy bills
- 1% of those surveyed said the environment should be the biggest issue addressed by the Government in the upcoming Budget
This shows the level of concern among people living in Ireland on the rising prices and this represents a marked change on the results of taxback.com’s pre-Budget survey last year. Ahead of Budget 2022, housing was the overriding concern for 47pc of people.
Commenting on the findings of the pre-Budget survey, Marian Ryan, consumer tax manager with taxback.com said: “This is the first time in many years that housing has not come out top in taxback.com’s pre-Budget survey as the issue which requires the most urgent and immediate Government attention.”
“Today’s survey is a worrying signal of the extent to which people are struggling with day-to-day living costs. Many people are already cutting back on their heating and electricity – as well as on other essentials such as food - due to rising living costs.
“Indeed a report published by the Society of the St Vincent de Paul in February 2022 found that almost one in four people had cut back on heating and electricity due to rising energy costs - while almost one in five had cut back on other essentials such as food.
“Prices have spiraled further since and we are now heading into what will be a very difficult and expensive winter for many. The Government has a huge responsibility in the upcoming Budget to introduce strong measures which will ease the pressure that the price squeeze has placed on so many people.”
“Earlier this year, the Government announced an electricity credit of €200 to households nationwide but the credit – which has since been paid – was at the time envisaged as a one-off payment. However, the Government has signaled that another energy credit is on the table for Budget 2023 to help people manage increases in the cost of living.”
Ms. Ryan concluded by saying that: “While the cost of living has shot up the agenda, housing remains a very real problem in Ireland and our survey highlights that the Government needs urgently to ease the plight of all those people who are unable to buy their own home – as this is still a key concern of the public.
“The housing crisis is an ongoing problem in this country. Unless the Government brings in powerful measures now to address it, we will see many young people leave this country in the coming years because they feel they have no prospect of ever owning their own home.”
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